Business

Low Ball Offer: Negotiating to get what you’re worth

Thursday, 16 February 2012 17:57
Julie Desmond

Newly engaged, and with her fiancé stationed halfway across the country in the Army, Sola wanted nothing more than to get out of Minnesota and get her life’s next chapter underway. She consulted me for some resume help and my strongest message fell on deaf ears: Don’t quit your job yet, I told her. She sent out her resume, interviewed twice and promptly gave two weeks’ notice to quit her job.

You’ve shot yourself in the foot, I told her. She gave notice on her apartment and started packing. Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes, so do I. Sola was confident. She knew there was a demand for her skills and she knew where she wanted to be. My experience says that finding a job is easier when you have a job, and negotiating a better salary is easier when you have a salary. Sola didn’t follow my direction, but she didn’t let me down, either.

Navigating the funeral process

Thursday, 16 February 2012 17:44

At an average cost of $7,000, funerals are one of the more expensive purchases consumers ever make. During such an emotionally-charged time, it can be easy to spend more than might be necessary. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) offers the following advice for navigating the funeral process.

Most funeral providers offer a variety of package plans that include products and services that are most commonly sold. However, it’s important to remember that no package is obligatory and it’s important to take the time, even though the time to make these decisions may be short, to find the individual products and services that best serve the needs of you and your loved ones. The “Funeral Rule,” enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, requires funeral directors to give you itemized prices in person and, if asked, over the phone.

Buyer beware as shoddy knock-offs infiltrate the internet

Wednesday, 15 February 2012 13:57

The market for counterfeit luxury items is wide and deep, covering everything from jewelry and perfume to handbags and sunglasses. Bargain-hunters should check out the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota’s (BBB) advice on avoiding web-based rip-off schemes before looking online for name-brand items at discount prices.

According to a report by the Department of Homeland Security, the total domestic value of merchandise seized during fiscal 2011 was $78.3 million; an amount that would have had a value of $1.11 billion had it been legitimate.

Minnesota Department of Commerce alleges travel insurance was sold improperly on Travelocity.com

The Minnesota Department of Commerce announced today that 81,970 Minnesota consumers who purchased travel insurance on Travelocity.com between June 1, 2009 and January 24, 2012 will receive nearly $2.5 million in refunds.

What’s wrong with everything?

Friday, 10 February 2012 14:45
Julie Desmond

Recent articles linked to through LinkedIn, the professional networking website: “What’s Wrong with Interviews?” “Why Your Resume Isn’t Working” “Forget About Raises and Benefits” and “More Companies Ban Sitting During Meetings.” I ask you, What’s wrong with sitting? I like sitting. I have a cushy chair and a solid oak conference table. Sitting lets me look you eye-to-eye and take notes comfortably. How does one take notes comfortably standing up?

Commissioner Rothman enlists CPAs to stop financial abuse of seniors this tax season

Thursday, 09 February 2012 15:58

Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman issued a letter to more than 9,000 licensed CPAs in Minnesota today, enlisting tax professionals in the fight against elder fraud and financial abuse. Under Commissioner Rothman’s leadership, the Minnesota Department of Commerce has stepped up its efforts to protect elderly and vulnerable consumers from fraud and financial scams. Providing Minnesota CPAs the tools and resources to spot fraud in their older clients is one important part of that effort.

BBB advice on refund anticipation loans

Thursday, 09 February 2012 12:07

Some tax preparers offer Refund Anticipation Loans (R.A.L.’s) to allow people to receive their tax refunds immediately. However, the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is reminding people that R.A.L.’s are not an actual refund from the IRS, but rather a short-term loan from the company. According to the Consumer Federation of America, the interest rate and administration fees on R.A.L.’s can translate to an annual percentage rate of 149 percent for a 10-day term.